ACT V. SCENE III

1493. ^'^^ ^^^ t^SX.^ the deed is done, Contrast 597 and 741. servie, obeyed,

1493» ^494- ^^ *^® édition of 1668 thirty verses replace this couplet They introduce Andromache as captive of Orestes. She rejoices in the safety of Astyanax, and so pitiés the fate of Pyrrhus that she almost loves him now that he is dead. Thèse lines greatly weaken the effect of the closing scène of Act IV. and were suppressed in ail subséquent éditions as they should be in the memory of ail readers. Cp. 1 523 and

1498. That is : shrank from this assassination.

1501. changer. For the construction, cp. 137. face is now used in this locution figuratively only. Cp. 2.

1504. Dussent, Could only (in his opinion) , relever, exali or increase.

1509. amitié. Cp. 903.

1510. This was what Andromache had hoped, 1092.

1511. This means: "I déclare ail enemies of Astyanax to be mine,** but, strictly construed, it does not say so.

151 2. le roi. Modem usage would omit U„

1513. suffrage, assent, Cp. 89.

152a £uripideSy Andromache^ 1091-1132, recounts the death of Pyrrhus in prolix détail.

1 522. enlever, carry away or rescue.

1523. In the édition of 1668 seven Unes replace this one. Their omission was involved in that noted at 1^194. In them Orestes admits the safety of Astyanax, states that Greece will demand satisfaction of Epirus and that, to secure it, he will keep Andromache as hostage. It is astonishing that Racine's taste should hot hâve saved him from such an esthetic blunder, but he had the grâce to correct it almost as soon as made.

1526. trahi, betrayed, by anticipating it. Cp. 1250 and 1269

1532. Cp. 1033, 1034, note.

1534. parricide may be used of any monstrous or unnatural murder; so in Corneille, Horace^ 320, the Roman and Alban armies are called parricides, Cp. 1574.

1539. cruels. Addressed to the soldiers of Orestes' escort, and in the original version to the guards of Andromache.

1542. titre, right

1 543. This daring disavowal of a crime she had instigated suggests Shakspere, King John, IV. ii. 205-207.

KiNG. — " Thy hand hath murdered him. I had a mighty cause

To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him. HuB. — No had, my Lord, why, did you not provoke me ? " etc.

And so again Shakspere, Richard II. V. vi. 38-4a

** They love not poison that do poison need, Nor do I thee; though I did wish him dead, I hâte the murderer, love him murdered."

Musset, in les Marrons du feu^ treats the same situation ironicallj . Some editors scan this Une as romantic, but this is quite unnecessary. See Introduction, page xx.